Southwark to build new library in Camberwell

Plans for a new library in Camberwell were approved at a Southwark council committee meeting last week.

Planning permission was approved for a new two storey library which will include areas for adult, children and young people as well as public access computers, study area and meeting rooms. The main library areas will be located on the ground floor with meeting rooms and study space located on the first floor. The main entrance will face towards Camberwell Green.

The proposal also includes a comprehensive hard and soft landscaping scheme around the new library, new tree planting, seating within the flower beds, improvements to the lighting and a shared surface to the road directly in front of the site to aid pedestrian access to and from Camberwell Green.

Planning permission was granted subject to some conditions which are designed to ensure that the bio diversity of the site is improved and that there is comparable replacements for the loss of amenity.

Councillor Veronica Ward, cabinet member for Culture, Leisure, Sport, Olympic Legacy and Volunteering said: "We currently have a very poor library service in Camberwell so this granting of planning permission is a big step forward. Not only does it give the go ahead for a new, much needed library but it helps to realise our ambition of regenerating Camberwell and its surrounding areas."

The new library is part of an £11m Camberwell Regeneration programme. Southwark is home to the highly praised Canada Water Library and Peckham Library.